Posted: August 4, 2021
Troy L. Ott, Ph.D. Professor of Reproductive Physiology in Penn State’s Department of Animal Science, and Associate Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, will become president of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) at their August business meeting.
Penn State Scientist to Head Society for the Study of Reproduction
Troy L. Ott, Ph.D. Professor of Reproductive Physiology in Penn State’s Department of Animal Science, and Associate Director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, will become president of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) at their August business meeting. Ott was elected into the presidential chain as vice-president elect in 2018 and is currently vice president.
The Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) was founded in 1967 to promote the study of reproduction by fostering interdisciplinary communication among scientists, holding conferences, and publishing meritorious studies in the society’s journal, Biology of Reproduction (BOR). Its mission is to advance the science of reproduction, fertility and development for the benefit of humans and animals.
Ott said, “The SSR is the premier international society for basic and clinical reproductive scientists and provides valuable networking opportunities for innovative scientists who seek to enhance the impact of their research through collaborative efforts and shared knowledge. I am honored and humbled to serve the SSR, which has been my primary scientific family since I started my graduate training. I look forward to my term as president, during which I hope to continue build the reputation of our highly ranked journal, Biology of Reproduction, and to foster information sharing and collaboration that will improve the lives of humans and animals. I will be particularly focused on providing opportunities for early career scientists to highlight their work and advance in leadership in the SSR.”
As a member of Penn State’s Center for Reproductive Biology and Health (CRBH), Ott’s focus in research is on reproductive immunology and the physiology of early pregnancy. Ott was a founding member of the CRBH, which formed in 2008, and provides a forum for faculty to engage in discussion of new ideas, seek input on experimental designs, and broaden their perspectives on questions in reproductive biology. It includes members from faculty in other Colleges at Penn State, including Hershey Medical Center, and enjoys a national and international reputation. CRBH is part of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, established in 1996 to enhance and facilitate excellence in interdisciplinary research and training in the life sciences across Penn State; it involves nine Colleges and 33 Research Institutes and Centers of Excellence.
Ott received his B.S. in animal production from Penn State; his M.S. in reproductive physiology from Auburn University and his Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from the University of Florida. From 1992-1998 he was a research scientist in the Center for Animal Biotechnology at Texas A & M. University. From 1998 to 2006, he was a faculty member of the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Idaho. Ott came to Penn State in 2006.
Ott will be the second scientist from Penn State to serve as president of SSR. Joy L. Pate, C. Lee Rumberger and Family Chair in Agricultural Sciences and Director of CRBH, served as president of SSR in 2004-2005. She was awarded the trainee mentor award by the SSR in 2020, and the award will be presented at the SSR annual meeting in St. Louis, in December, 2021. The prestigious award recognizes an SSR member who has had significant impact on trainees within the SSR as a mentor. Ott commented “I am delighted to be following in the footsteps of my colleague and mentor, Dr. Joy Pate, past president of the SSR, and to be presiding over the meeting where her contribution to excellence in training the next generation of reproductive scientists will be recognized by the society.”
Dr Adele Turzillo, Head of the Animal Science Department, said, “I congratulate Troy as he assumes the role of president of the Society for the Study of Reproduction. His election to this position reflects the deep respect that his fellow society members have for his research accomplishments, his leadership skills, and his efforts to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. I commend Joy on her well-deserved award and her tireless dedication to mentoring the next generation of highly skilled reproductive scientists. These accomplishments are a testament to the importance of the vital research being conducted by Penn State’s Center for Reproductive Biology and Health and the positive impacts of this research on the lives of humans and animals.”
Ott will serve a one-year term as president, presiding over the December annual meeting in St. Louis, and the summer meeting in Spokane. He then becomes past president and will be responsible of organizing the society’s annual meeting in 2023 in Ottawa, Canada.
